HP Launches AMD-based Business Notebooks

By Geoff Duncan March 28, 2007

HP Launches AMD-based Business Notebooks

Hewlett-Packard has announced two new AMD-based notebook computers under its Compaq brand, designed to strike a good balance between the performance and mobile needs of business users while offering an attractive price point.

"With the industry’s broadest business notebook portfolio, HP provides mobile professionals with devices at a variety of prices without compromising performance," said Carol Hess-Nickels, director of HP’s worldwide business notebook marketing, Personal Systems Group, in a statement. "Business users can satisfy their needs by choosing among HP’s array of connectivity options and high-powered processor technologies."

The Compaq 6515b and Compaq 6715b are built around AMD processors, ranging from a Sempron 3500+ running at 1.8 GHz to a 2 GHz Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor. They’re also HP’s first business notebooks designed with Windows Vista in mind: the 6515b ships with Vista Home Basic or Vista Business, while the 6715b comes with Vista Business.

The 6515b sports a 14.1 inch WXGA LCD display, an 80 GB hard drive, DVD/CD-RW combo drive, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and 512 MB of RAM; upgrades include 1 GB of RAM, a BrightView display, 802.11draft-n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a LightScribe-compatible double-layer DVD burner. Base specs for the 6715b are identical except for a 15.4-inch LCD display; upgrades kick the hard drive size up to 160 GB, up to 2 GB of RAM, 802.11a/b/g/draft-n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and (naturally) the Turion Dual-Core processors. Buyers can also select EV-DO or UMTS/HSDPA wireless broadband technologies (through Verizon Wireless and AT&T, respectively). Both systems offer integrated speakers, USB 2.0 ports, an IEEE 1394 port, VGA and S-Video output, an a 6-in-1 media card reader.

Prices for both systems start at $649, although going dual-core quickly kicks prices up near $1,000. Both systems will be available in late April 2007, with WWAN options becoming real in May.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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